Washing apparatus for vehicles, more particularly for motor vehicles

ABSTRACT

A vehicle washing apparatus consisting of a portal-shaped self propelled washing bridge with a vertically adjustable horizontal washing brush and a pair of lateral vertical washing brushes whereby at least one bearing support assembly is connected to a horizontal frame member of the washing bridge and provided with a motor driven track roller rolling on a lower surface of an overhead guide rail and two pairs of tandem arranged floatingly mounted inclined guide rollers rolling on lateral portions of the guide rail. The bearing support assembly is extensibly connected to the horizontal frame member and allows a vertical adjustment of with respect to the washing bridge.

iilitzsch et a1.

[ Mar. 12, 1974 [76] lnventors: Heinz Diilitzsch, Adolfstrasse 73,

Hamburg; Gerhard Skirdle, Alte Schule, Trelde, both of Germany [22]Filed: Nov. 12, 1971 [2]] Appl. No.: 198,136

[56] References Cited FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1,530,921 7/1969Germany l5/DIG. 2 1,810,516 6/1970 Germany 1,094,393 12/1967 GreatBritain l5/DIG. 2

Primary ExaminerEdward L. Roberts Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Ernest F.Marmorek [5 7] ABSTRACT A vehicle washing apparatus consisting of aportalshaped self propelled Washing bridge with a vertically adjustablehorizontal washing brush and a pair of lateral vertical washing brusheswhereby at least one bearing support assembly is connected to ahorizontal frame member of the washing bridge and provided with a motordriven track roller rolling on a lower surface of an overhead guide railand two pairs of tandem arranged floatingly mounted inclined guiderollers rolling on lateral portions of the guide rail. The bearingsupport assembly is extensibly connected to the horizontal frame memberand allows a vertical adjustment of with respect to the washing bridge.

5 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PATENTEI] MR 1 21974 SHEET 2 (IF 6 SHEET 3BF 6 PATENTEU MAR 1 2 I974 PATENTED 3,795,928

SHEET Q U? 6 U//////% /////X/// 3 H4 Pmmenmw 3.795.928

SHEET 3 OF 6 WASHING APPARATUS FOR VEl-HCLES, MORE PARTICULARLY FORMOTOR VEHICLES The present invention relates to a washing apparatus forvehicles, more particularly for motor vehicles, comprising aportal-shaped self propelled washing bridge which can be moved, inopposite directions and parallel to a stationary vehicle, along guidemembers, the washing bridge having a pair of vertical frame members, atransverse horizontal frame member, horizontal and vertical water-fedwashing brushes and drive means for an elevation adjustment of thehorizontal washing brush which is movably mounted in vertical guiderails and for swinging the swingingly mounted vertical brushes andwhereby the horizontal washing brush is arranged as a feeler member forsensing the contour of the vehicle being washed and correspondinglycontrolling hydraulic, pneumatic or electric drive means for varying theelevational position of the horizontal washing brush.

There are known'apparatus of this type having a stationary frame withvertical washing brushes which are swingingly mounted for cleaning thefront, rear and side surfaces of the vehicle. In addition to thevertical brushes there may also be provided .horizontal brushes forcleaning the roof of the vehicle. A stationary roof washing brush issuitable only for vehicles having identical heights such as for examplea certain type of busses. In washing apparatus of this type the variouscleaning devices are arranged-one behind the other and during a washingoperation the vehicle is either pulled through the washing plant or maybe driven by its own motive force through the plant. Plants of this typearestationary and require a considerable space. These plants areunsuitable for vehicles such as passenger automobiles since properwashing of the bonnet or of the boot outside cannot be carried out andthe apparatus does not adapt itself to the most varied shapes anddimensions of passenger automobiles.

There are also known washing apparatus comprising a portal-shapedwashing bridge provided at its bottom or floor end with motor drivenrunning wheels guided on rails on thefloor of the washing hall so thatthe washing bridge may be moved along these rails. The floor mountedguide rails for the washing bridge may alsobe substituted by a guiderail mounted on the ceiling of the washing hall.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a washing apparatusas defined above with novel and improved devices allowing to properlyguide the washing bridge along guide members mounted on the ceiling of awashing hall or the like and moreover allowing to adapt the washingbridge to various elevational positions with respect to the guide membermounted on the ceiling of a washing hall or the like. Toward thispurpose a washing apparatus for vehicles is so constructed in accordancewith the present invention that at least one bearing support isconnected to the horizontal frame member'of the portal-shaped washingbridge, the bearing assembly provided with a motor driven track rollerguided on and biased against the outer flange surface of a guide railmounted on the ceiling of a washing hall or on a frame in a positionoverlying the washing bridge and having a T or I section, and two pairsof tandem arranged floatingly mounted guide rollers, one pair of guiderollers on either side of the web portion of the guide rail, each of theguide roller axes inclined at an angle of about 45 to the verticalflange of the guide rail whereby the guide rollers move along therespective adjacent web and flange surface portions of the guide rail.

The bearing support assembly comprises two L- shaped brackets mounted ona base plate attached to the horizontal frame member, each of thevertically extending legs of the L-shaped brackets provided at its freeupper end with an U-shaped bearing support inclined at 45 and adapted torotatably mount the pair of guide rollers, each of the inclined bearingsupports having at its lower end a guide pin matingly engaged by andguided in a recess in the adjacent vertical bracket leg of the trackroller bearing support and biased by a tension spring so that an alwaysunvaried contact pressure of the guide rollers against the guide railwill be obtained.

To also assure an unvaried contact pressure of the motor driven trackroller and for allowing to install the washing bridge in washing hallshaving different heights, the elevation of the base plate together withthe track roller bearing support may be adjusted, according to anotherfeature of the present invention, by means of hydraulic liftingcylinders provided at the horizontal frame member of the washing bridge.Instead of the bearing support assembly with the track and guide rollersthe height of the portal-shaped washing bridge may be adjustable. Towardthis end, the vertical frame members of the washing bridge may comprisehydraulic pressure cylinders. In the latter case, the vertical washingbrushes are rotatably mounted in bearing supports connected either tothe horizontal frame member or to the vertical frame members of thewashing bridge so that the vertical washing brushes are adjusted invertical direction simultaneously with the washing bridge.

The drawing shows several illustrative embodiments of the washingapparatus according to the present invention in which FIG. 1 is a sideview ofa washing bridge guided along a guide rail mounted on the ceilingof a washing hall;

FIG. 2 is a front view of the washing bridge of FIG. 1 showing thebearing support assembly for the track and guide rollers;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary front view of the washing bridge of FIGS. 1 and2 and showing lifting devices for the bearing support assembly;

FIG. 4 is a front view of the washing bridge with the bearing supportassembly in an elevated position;

FIG. 5 shows a front view of another embodiment of a washing bridgehaving lateral frame members arranged in the form of lifting cylinders;and

FIG. 6 is a front view of a somewhat modified embodiment of the washingbridge in an elevated position.

In all figures of the drawing the washing bridge has been indicated bythe reference numeral 10. The washing bridge is of a portal-shapeconfiguration and comprises two mutually spaced vertical or uprightframe members 11 and 11:: the upper free ends of which are connected bya horizontal transverse frame member 12. Running wheels 13, 13a areprovided at the bottom end of either of the vertical frame members 11,11a. The floor of the washing hall (in which the apparatus is supposedto be installed) is indicated by the letter W, and the ceiling by D.Also provided at the washing bridge are electricity and water supplyfacilities not shown in the drawing.

The vertical frame members 11, 11a are provided with guides 97 and 97afor carriages mounting the drive shaft indicated at 22 of a horizontalwashing brush 23. The guiding carriages may be lifted and lowered bymeans of a set of cables. Preferably, the guiding carriages are inconnection with each other through a drive cable which is wound up on awinding drum connected to a self-retarding gear motor 96 so that thewashing brush 23 cannot be lowered independently by its own weight. Thelowering and lifting of the washing brush 23 can be carried out onlywhen the gear motor rotates accordingly. The washing brush 23 is rotatedby means of a drive motor 95 associated with a feeler member 99 whichdetects the working pressure of the brush 23 against the surface of thevehicle. The feeler member 99 cooperates with a control device 100 whichcontrols the vertical position of the brush 23 by means of theaforementioned motor 96.

The washing bridge is also provided with two vertical washing brushes30, 30a mounted at the free ends of swinging arms 31, 31a and 32, 320respectively which are connected to the vertical frame members 11, 11aof the portal-shaped washing bridge (FIG. 2). The washing brushes 30,30a are moved into their operative and rest positions by means of rotaryupright axles 81 and 81a connected to the swinging arms 31, 31a and 32,32a and driven by driving means 90, 90a respectively. The axes 33, 33aof the washing brushes 30, 30a are connected to corresponding drivemotors 80 and 80a, respectively. The driving devices 80, 80a, 90, 90a,95, 96 and the feeler member 99 together with the control device 100form a single control system which can be adjusted for bringing theupright brushes into and out of their operative positions andcontrolling also the horizontal brush according to a predeterminedprogram.

According to the-preferred embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 of thedrawing a guide rail 40 ofl section (i.e., double T section) is mountedat the ceiling D of the washing hall. The guide rail 40 may also be ofTsection and may be attached to a framework supported on the floor W. Theflanges of the I section are designated with 40a and 40b, and the web isdesignated by 400. Whereas the flange 40b serves to mount the guide rail40 on the ceiling D ofthe washing hall the outer surface 40d of theflange 40a serves as contact or rolling surface for a track roller 42journalled in a bearing support assembly 41. The mutually facingadjacent web and flange surfaces 40e and 40f as well as 40g and 40hrespectively serve as contact or rolling surfaces for guide rollers 43,44 which are likewise rotatably mounted in the bearing support assembly41 as will be described further below (FIG. 3).

The bearing support assembly 41 for the track roller 42 consistspreferably of a pair of L-shaped brackets having the legs 41a, 41b and41c, 41d. By means of the legs 41a and 410 the L-shaped brackets areconnected either directly to the horizontal frame member 12 of thewashing bridge 10 when the bridge may be adjusted up and down, or to abase plate which in turn is vertically adjustable and connected to thewashing bridge 10. The drive shaft 42a of the track roller 42 which ispreferably made of rubber is mounted in the two legs 41b, 41d of thebearing support assembly 41 and is connected to a drive motor 45 whichis mounted either on the bearing support assembly 41 or on the baseplate 15 for the assembly 41.

The guide rollers 43, 44 are journalled in the bearing support assembly41. Toward this end, a pair of U- shaped bearing supports 46, 47 ismounted at the upper free end portions of the legs 41b, 41d of thebearing support assembly 41 and are inclined at an angle of about 45 tothe horizontal frame member 12 of the washing bridge 10 so that theguide rollers 43, 44 which are likewise made of rubber are mounted in aninclined position in these bearing supports 46, 47 respectively and mayride on the mutually facing web and flange surfaces 40f, 40c and 40h,40g of the guide rail 40. The overall arrangement of the guide rollers43, 44 is such that the longitudinal center planes indicated at 43a, 44aextending through the guide rollers 43 or 44 respectively intersect eachother at the junction of the flange 40a and the web 40c (FIG. 3). Eachbearing support 46, 47 mounts two guide rollers in a tandem arrangement.In FIG. 1 the guide roller arranged behind the guide roller 44 isreferenced 44a. Similarly, on the opposite side of the guide rail 40there is a second guide roller (not shown) arranged behind the guideroller 43.

In order to prevent that the guide rollers 43, 44 are lifted away fromtheir contact surfaces 40f, 40:2 and 40h, 403 respectively when changingthe urging pressure exerted by the track roller 42 against the guiderail flange by a lifting movement of the bearing support assembly 41 orof the whole washing bridge 10 the bearing supports 46, 47 for the guiderollers 43, 44 are biased by tension springs. Each of the bearingsupports 46, 47 has at its bottom end a guide pin or guide plate 50, 51which is guided in a correspondingly arranged recess 52, 53 in the leg41b, 41d of the bearing support assembly 41. The lower free ends of theguide pins or plates 50, 51 are connected to a tension spring 56, 57respectively attached at 54 or 55 to the bottom of the correspondingrecess. These tension springs serve to urge the guide rollers 43, 44against their respective contact surfaces also when the elevationalposition of the bearing support assembly 41 or the washing bridge 10respectively is changed.

The base plate 15 with the bearing support assembly 41 for the trackroller 42 and the guide rollers 43, 44 are connected to conventionalhydraulic lifting cylinders 60, 61 arranged in the horizontal framemember 12 and controlled by control devices not shown in the drawing ina manner so as to maintain always substantially one and the same rollercontact pressure level and I to allow an installation of the washingbridge in washing halls having different heights, without requiring anymodifications to the basic design of the washing bridge (FIG. 3). Theextended position of the lifting cylinders 60, 61 is shown in FIG. 4. Inthis figure, the initial position of the bearing support assembly 41 isindicated with A. The extended position of the bearing support assembly41 is indicated with B.

According to another embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 5, thevertical frame members 11, 11a of the washing bridge 10 are subdividedinto several telescopically adjustable sections having the form ofhydraulic pressure cylinders which allow an elevation adjustment of thewashing bridge. It is, however, likewise possible to arrange only thelowermost section of the vertical frame members 11, 11a in the form of alifting cylinder as shown in FIG. 6. The lifting cylinders are indicatedat 65, 66. In this embodiment, the axes 33, 33a of the two verticalwashing brushes 30, 30a are mounted in bearing arms 67, 68 and 67a, 68aof which the upper bearing arms 67, 67a are connected to the washingbridge in the region of the upper horizontal frame member 12 whereas thelower bearing arms 68, 68a are connected to the stationary verticalframe members 11, lla so that the washing brushes 30, 30a may beadjusted vertically together with the washing bridge 10, if required. Inthe embodiment shown in FIG. 5 the bearing supports 69, 69a for thevertical washing brushes 30, 30a are similarly mounted on the washingbridge 10. If the vertical washing brushes 30,

300 are not intended to be-vertically adjusted together with the washingbridge 10 then the bearing supports 69, 69a for the washing brushes 30,30a will be mounted only at the lower stationary frame member sections70, 70a on which the running wheels 13, 13a are likewise mounted whereasthe frame member sections 71, 71a and 72, 72a are arranged in the formof extensible lifting cylinders (FIGS).

The guide and drive means according to the present invention for theceiling guided washing apparatus have the advantage that the washingbridge may be constructed with smaller dimensions thus making themanufacture more economical. Even with greater washing hall heights noadditional extensions'are required for stabilizing the washing bridge.By employing a driven track roller and four guide rollers the axes ofwhich are inclined at about 45 with respect to a horizontal plane astable equilibrium of the overall apparatus is achieved. By theexpedient that the washing bridge is virtually secured at the guide raila high safety factor and a safeguard against tumbling over of thewashing bridge are achieved even if the running wheels are mounted onthe vertical frame members of the washing bridge without these framemembers having any outrigger type wheel mountings. Furthermore it willbe no longer necessary to arrange several running wheels on everyupright. One runningwheel on each upright is sufficient. Furtheradvantages are a reduced wear of the'drive and guide members of thewashing bridge and a reduced noise level when moving the washing bridge.

Another advantageous feature is the possibility of elevation adjustmentof the drive means of the washing bridge or the vertical adjustabilityof the washing bridge itself. This feature allows a basic design of awashing bridge that may be installed in washing halls having differentheights, without requiring any additional parts. Due to the elevationadjustment feature the washing bridge may be installed readily withinlow halls as well as within high halls. An automatic compensation forheight differences is effected by the lifting cylinders for the bearingsupport assembly with the track roller and the guide rollers so that anyunevenness of the floor is readily compensated for without reducing theurging or biasing pressure of the track roller.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property orprivilege is claimed are defined as follows:

l. A washing apparatus for vehicles, including a portal-shaped selfpropelled washing bridge movable in opposite directions parallel to astanding vehicle, said bridge having a pair of upright frame members anda horizontal top frame member, horizontal and upright water-fed washingbrushes and adjustment means for adjusting the working position of saidbrushes relative to the vehicle,

comprising, in combination,

suspension means including an a guiding rail mounted above said bridge,said rail defining an upright stem portion and a horizontal lower flangeportion,

a bearing support assembly including at least one driving rollerabutting against the bottom surface of said flange portion, and

at least two idling guide rollers arranged at opposite sides of saidstem portion and each having a plane of rotation intersecting the anglebetween the adjacent stem and flange portions so that marginal parts ofthe rolling surface of each roller abut both against the stem portionand the flange top surface portion,

and lifting means mounted between said bearing support assembly and saidhorizontal top frame member to adjust the vertical position of saidwashing bridge.

2. A washing apparatus as defined in claim 1, characterized in that saidbearing support assembly comprises two L-shaped bracketsmounted on abase plate attached to said horizontal frame member, each of thevertically extending legs of said L-shaped brackets provided at the freeupper leg end with a U-shaped bearing support inclined at an angle of 45to said leg and adapted to rotatably mount said pair of guide rollers,

each of said inclined bearing supports having at its lower end a guidepin. matingly engaged by and guided in a recess in the adjacent verticalbracket leg of said track roller bearing support and biased by a tensionspring.

3. A washing bridge as defined in claim 1, characterized in that saidtrack roller and said guide rollers are made of rubber and are eachprovided with a profiled contact surface.

4. A washing apparatus for vehicles, including a portal-shaped selfpropelled washing bridge movable in opposite directions parallel to astanding vehicle, said bridge having a pair of upright frame members anda horizontal top frame member, first and second waterfed washing brushesrotatable about upright, and substantially horizontal, axesrespectively, and adjustment means operable for adjusting the workingposition of said brushes relative to the vehicle,

comprising, in combination,

suspension means including a guiding rail mounted above said bridge,said rail defining an upright stem portion and a horizontal lower flangeportion,

a bearing support assembly including at least one driving rollerabutting against the bottom surface of said flange portion,

at least two idling guide rollers arranged at opposite sides of saidstem portion and each having a plane of rotation intersecting the anglebetween the adjacent stem and flange portions so that marginal parts ofthe rolling surface of each roller abut both against the stem portionand the flange top surface portion, and

lifting means mounted in said upright frame members to adjust thevertical position of said washing bridge.

5. A washing apparatus as defined in claim 4, characterized in that saidfirst washing brushes are rotatably mounted in bearing supportsconnected to at least one of said frame members of said washing bridge.

1. A washing apparatus for vehicles, including a portal-shaped selfpropelled washing bridge movable in opposite directions parallel to astanding vehicle, said bridge having a pair of upright frame members anda horizontal top frame member, horizontal and upright water-fed washingbrushes and adjustment means for adjusting the working position of saidbrushes relative to the vehicle, comprising, in combination, suspensionmeans including an a guiding rail mounted above said bridge, said raildefining an upright stem portion and a horizontal lower flange portion,a bearing support assembly including at least one driving rollerabutting against the bottom surface of said flange portion, and at leasttwo idling guide rollers arranged at opposite sides of said stem portionand each having a plane of rotation intersecting the angle between theadjacent stem and flange portions so that marginal parts of the rollingsurface of each roller abut both against the stem portion and the flangetop surface portion, and lifting means mounted between said bearingsupport assembly and said horizontal top frame member to adjust thevertical position of said washing bridge.
 2. A washing apparatus asdefined in claim 1, characterized in that said bearing support assemblycomprises two L-shaped brackets mounted on a base plate attached to saidhorizontal frame member, each of the vertically extending legs of saidL-shaped brackets provided at the free upper leg end with a U-shapedbearing support inclined at an angle of 45* to said leg and adapted torOtatably mount said pair of guide rollers, each of said inclinedbearing supports having at its lower end a guide pin matingly engaged byand guided in a recess in the adjacent vertical bracket leg of saidtrack roller bearing support and biased by a tension spring.
 3. Awashing bridge as defined in claim 1, characterized in that said trackroller and said guide rollers are made of rubber and are each providedwith a profiled contact surface.
 4. A washing apparatus for vehicles,including a portal-shaped self propelled washing bridge movable inopposite directions parallel to a standing vehicle, said bridge having apair of upright frame members and a horizontal top frame member, firstand second waterfed washing brushes rotatable about upright, andsubstantially horizontal, axes respectively, and adjustment meansoperable for adjusting the working position of said brushes relative tothe vehicle, comprising, in combination, suspension means including aguiding rail mounted above said bridge, said rail defining an uprightstem portion and a horizontal lower flange portion, a bearing supportassembly including at least one driving roller abutting against thebottom surface of said flange portion, at least two idling guide rollersarranged at opposite sides of said stem portion and each having a planeof rotation intersecting the angle between the adjacent stem and flangeportions so that marginal parts of the rolling surface of each rollerabut both against the stem portion and the flange top surface portion,and lifting means mounted in said upright frame members to adjust thevertical position of said washing bridge.
 5. A washing apparatus asdefined in claim 4, characterized in that said first washing brushes arerotatably mounted in bearing supports connected to at least one of saidframe members of said washing bridge.